Wheel-rim.



F. P. JOHNSON.

WHEEL RIM.

APPUCATION FILED H8123, 1915.

L'V@ Patented Jan. L 1916.

if ATTO R N EY FRANK P. JOHNSON, OF DANILLE, PENNSYLVANIA,

WHEEL-RIM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented dan. i. l5? l.

Application led February 23. 1915. Serial No. 10.069

lo f/l/ /P/mm if lnrrll/ roller/'g1 lie it known that I. FRANK. l. JoIiNsoN, a eitizen ol the Fnited States. residing at Danville. in the eountuot' Montour and State oi' lennsvlvania. have invented a new and usetnl ,Wheel-Rim, ot' whieh the tollowing is a speeitieation.

This invention has reterenee to wheel rims. and its objet-t is to provide a wheel rim tor the reeeption of a pneumatie tire. whieh wheel rim with the tire attaehed is readily demountable. aud 'from whieh rim in the event of the tire beeoming trozen thereto sueh tire ma v be easil)Y removed.

In aeeordanee with the present invention they wheel to whieh the wheel rim is to be applied has a peripheral portion. whieh in the ease o'l a oodentellv wheel is in the l'orm ot a peripheral bearing band. and this peripheral portion is shaped to reeeive the wheel rim from one side. so that the rim beeomes wedged thereon when in proper position. lxeadily removable means are provided t'or holding the rim on the telllv. sueh holding means being eonstrueted for the taking up ot wear and also so as to be t'ree trom strains liable to break or damage the holding means.

rl`he rim has marginal side grooves t'or the reeeption of detachable tire holding rings, and earries loelting means tor the rings. whieh latter are so constructed as to eoaet with they loekingimans t'or holding the rings in plaee and quickly releasing them when desired. Furthermore, the rim is so lt'ormed that the sui-tare engaged hv the tire is evlindrieal throughout` whereby on the removal of the marginal shoe retaining rings a thin blade or other suitable implement may be plaeed in traversing relation to the. rixn between it and the tire and then moved lengthwise ot the. rim tor disengaging the tire trom the rim in the event ot' the tire having heeome stark or frozen to the rim.

The invention will be best. understoml from a eonsideration ot' the following detailed deseription` taken in eonneetion with the aeeompanving drawings t'orming a part ot this speeilieation, with the further understanding that while the. drawings show a practical form ot the invention. the latter is not eontined to anv sti-iet eontormityY with the showing ot the drawings. out ma)Y be ehanged and moditied so long as sueh elianges and modifications mark no material departure 'rom the invention.

ln the drawings: Figur;` l is an elevation ol' a portion ot' a wheel showing the invention applied. Fig. 2 is a seetion on the line 2v-2 ol' Fig. l. l4 1g. is a rrossseetion olI the lellv and rim in a plane eorrespondoi' Fig. l. Fig. lis a plan view ot' a portionlaotI the rim at theI point where traversed bv the inner tube valve stem. tht` \'ie\\ being taken lrom beneath as the sruetures appear in Fig. Fig. 5 is a side elevation ol' a portion of one` ot the tire holding rings and loelting deviees theretor with the eorresponding 'portion of the rim in seetion, Fig. t3 is a detail perspeetive view ot a portion ol one o'l the rim loelting members. Fig. i is a detail view ot'V one ot' the lateh arms t'or the ring loelt. Fig. o is a eross-seetion ola modilied t'orm ol: the rim.

bet'erring lo the drawiugsithere is shown a wheeI provided with a l'ellv l` spokes IZ, and hub Il all as is usual in automobile wheels. and. furthermore. there is shown a. pneumatie tire outer easing t having an inner tube Y provided with the usual valveI stem t'.

A\pplied to the outer periphenv of the, tellvl in the partirular strueture shown in the drawings where the tellv 1 is assumed to be a wooden t'ellv. is a band T ol' metal. whieh in the main is flat. but has one edge H beveled toward the axis ol the wheel`v and the other edge i) beveled a wav trom the axis ol" the wheel. t the point traversed bv tho valve stem (3. the band T is provided with a` suitable passage l() and the tell)y l has av similar passage l1 whieh in praetiee is of ample size to permit. the valve stem to pass through it without binding. as customary.

The band T is seeured to the telly at suitable intervals b'v serews 1;). one ot whieh is shown in Fig. .9. ribere is also provided a peripherall)r eontinuous rim I wider than the lellv and terminating at the margins in eirenmterential beads lt providing grooves salient leatures of lne.

lo opening at the outer peripheral surtaee tire ot the rim. rl`he grooves l5 reeeive holding rings lo there being two sueh rings on opposite sides ol' the rim. and these rings may be substantially identieal.

lletween the beads ll the rim is provided with other beadsl 1T. lo'. resluetively. pro- Iieeting from that faee ot the rim toward the felly. In the event of the rim being made of sheet metal rolled or pressed into shape, the beads 17 Vare hollow beads, but it is also feasible to make these beads solid, as in Fig. 8, where the beads are indicated at 17L and 1S, the rim being otherwise the same as inthe other views, with parts in common with the other views designated by the same reference numerals.

The outer surface of the rim 13 is substantially flat or cylindrical fromone side edge to the other, and in the absence of the rings 16 has no parts projecting from the outer peripheral surface. i

`When the tire casing f1 is seated on the rim 13 the rings 16 by engaging the beads 4 of the casing hold the tire in place, and

when both rings 16 are removed the tire may be slipped ofl" sidewise from either side of the rim, since there is nothing on the rim to prevent `such movement. However, it sometimes occurs that the tire becomes quite firmly stuck to the rim, or, as it is commonly known, the tire becomes frozen to the rim, and in such event where the tire abuts' along one edge against a fixed flange, or where the rim is not cylindrical or laterally fiat throughout its tire supporting surface, the removal of the tire from the rim is often a 'matter of great difficulty.

W' ith the present invention, however, it is onlyl necessary to remove both rings 16, which is easily accomplished by first starting each ring with a suitable tool, whereupon the ring may be 'easily sprung out from. the rim progressively about the latter, the bead of the tire being sufliciently elastic for the purpose. Thenv by inserting a thin blade or other., implement between the tire and rim crosswise of the latter, so that it may be grasped at both ends beyond the corresponding sides of the rim, it isa co1nparatively easy matter to ypull the implement lengthwise of the rim and tire and so separate the tire from the rim throughout the circumference of the latter, whereupon lhe tire is as readily removed from the rim as though the freezing had not occurred.

The beads 17 and'lS, or 17*l and 18, as the case may be, project toward the axis of the rim to different extents. The bead 17 may be readily moved upon the band 7 from that side provided with the bevel edge 8` until the bevel edge 9 is reached. The bead 1S extends toward the axis of the rim to a Y. greater distance than the bead 17, so that it will not move upon, the outer surface of the band 7, but will move into engagement with the bevel edge '8. The bead 14 which first moves over the band 7 does not extend toward the axis of generation suiiciently to engage the bevel edge 9, so that it does not interfere with the application of the rim to the felly. 1

The rim is therefore readily applied to ing to move the rim sidewise of the wheel* after the beads engage the respective bevels only serves to tighten the engagement of the rim on the wheel, and such force may be sufficient to so secure the rim to the wheel that it will effectively withstand any creeping tendency. Still, because of the bevel surfaces 8 and 9, the rim is very readily removed from the wheel after the holding force has been relieved.

`In order to secure the rim to the wheel plates 19 are secured at suitable intervals about the felly to the inner 'peripheral face thereof, and the fastening means for the plates may consist ofscrews 20. Each plate 19 which is of relatively short circumferential extent terminatesjust beyond .that edge of the felly corresponding to the bevel edge 8 of the band 7 in a bead or enlargement 21 of rounded cross-sectional contour. There is also provided another plate 22 asiwide as the plate 19, and near one end this plateis formed with a lateral groove 23 shaped to v receive the bead 21, which latter then acts after the manner of a hinge pintle. The plate 22 is extended radially of the felly 1 toward the rim 13 and terminates in an angularly disposed nose 21 along and projecting from that edge of the plate` remote from the groove 23. The length of each plate 22 is such that when the bead 21 is seated in the roove 23 the nose 24: eno'av'es 'that side of, g s e threaded end27 is formed with a head 29 which may be hexagonally or otherwise shaped for the application of a tool,.`and the head where` joining the shank of the bolt 26 is made of semi-spherical form, as shown at 30. The passage 25 through the plate 22 is countersunk in conformity with the semispherical portion 30 of the bolt', so that the latter may at all times engage the plate 22 without strain irrespective of hinge in ove ments of the plate upon the bead 21.' The bolt 26 serves as a means for forcing the riln 13 tightly upon the bevel portions 8 and 9 of the band 7 without bringing upon .either the bolt 26 or the plate 2Q any undue strain due to the changing relations of the holt and plate. and l'romtime to time any wcaror loosening whic 1 may occur is readily taken up. Y

As many tire holding and lockingr ilates 2:5 are provided as .may he t'ound advisahle. lvsually six are sullicient. hut this does not preclude the use ot' a diti'erent numlier ol these fastening devices.

lach ring 1G is a split ring: that is, its continuity' is hrolten at one point` as indicated at Ill in Fig. 5. The adjacent or ahntting,r ends oi" each ring ll' have recesses 252 formed thereinand adjacent to these ahntting ends those margins ot' the rings lli which scat in the grooves l5 have notches 33 therein. while the rim lil within the groove l5 is formed with spaced lues Ell adapted to enter the notches 313. Between the lugs 35E the walls of the head Il are traversed by a pin 235 terminating within the groove in a neck Ill', which in turn carries a laterally extended head IST ot' a length to enter hoth notches 13 simultane-anisly. l`he adjacent ends ot each ring 1li are eut away on opposite .sides ot that portion occupied hy the'head 53T which projects between these adjacent ends. so as to receive the neck il and the spacing ol. these 'cut away portions is sutlieicnt to permit the passage ot' the head 3T when so turfied that it no longer enters the notches Ilz. 'lhait end ot' the stem 35.3 rcmote Jfrom the head W37 is Jformed into an eye i# straddled hy the hit'urcated end 39 of an arm lo which is held to the eye 3S hy a pivot pin 41.. The arm l() may he manipulated to turn the pin :l5 on its longitudinal axis to correspondingly turn the head ill'. so that its ends either engage in the notches 52 or are at right angles thereto. and in position to release thc adjacent ends ol. the ring lll.

'hen the two hleads 23T are in position to engage in the notches 51'. ol'the rings lli. thus locking them in the respective grooves 1.7. the arms -l-l) may he turned upon the pivots ll into ene'aeemcnt with the. under or inner l'ace oil the rim lil. 'l`he arms ll) and heads Ill' are so located that the arms lll when l'olded against the inner l'ace ol the rini are located on opposite sides ol' the valve stein (i. each arm heine` recessed or cut away. as indicated at l2. lo permit such movementA When the arms` il) are lodged against the inner lace olthe rim lil they are secured in such position hv a nu-l lwhich may he the usual clamp nut applied to the stem li; ln order to pre\ent the rihs li' and IH lroin inlerlcrine ith the l'oldine' ol' the arms, tl! against the inner l'ace c. the rim 13'. these rihs are cul away as show n at ll.

l ln applyingr the lire lV to the rim lil. one olI die rines ll? is ,seated in the corresponding groove, 1.3 with the lugs -i engaging in the notches S3 and the ends ol the ring closely adjacent. the head il? havin; r heen ti rst moved so-that it extends transversely ot' the length ol the ring lo and in this condition it is assumed that the nut -l-l has heen luiscrewed tor an appropriate distanceah-mjg the stem l.

ln order to dek the applied rinzgr lli in a,- v its groove. 1.1. tiey head on turned s0,

that its ends cngagie in thtlatches 32. in which case the arm lll may he chiier allowed l'o han;Y pendently or may he inovetlpigainst the inner t'ace ol the rim lil and against the stem (i. Now. the tire is applied in"the usual way to the rim. the shoe o l' the tire heiner appropriately notched. as liliwn at l5 to receive the head SlT which this) eneroaches upon` the groove on the inner "lrue ofsthe ring. lli provided tor the receptiotaotl the outer head ot the tire shoe. such Ii-(io e henre shown at llt When the tire has"leen properly seated on the rim the other xx lll is applied and loclted in place in the sanfe manner as the first ringV with its arm 40 exlendingr to the other side ot the valve stem il trom that occupied h v the first-named aun lll. Aow on tightening up the nut -tl the two arms i() are etl`ectively loclted in po- ,sinon against any liahility ot accidental displacement. `With the tire so arranged and i5' desired with the inner tuhe 5 lilownup. which latter act is performed after the tire is suitahly seated and locked on the rim lil, the entire rim with the tire is moved upon the hand 7 t'rom that side ot the band pro-l vided with the hevel 8, and this movement is continued until the rib 17 engages the hevel 19 and the rod 18 engages the bevel S. Now.v h v applying the plates 22 and tightening up the holts 2G, the tire rim is lirn'ily secured upon the felly of the wheel. lVhen it is desired to remove the rim and tire 'from the wheel it is only necessary to loosen the holts 26. whereupon the plates 22. may he turned upon the bolts as pivots, thus carrying their ends 2l out of the way of the rim 13.

Should it hecome necessary to remove the tire as in the case ot' a puncture where a new inner tuhe is needed. the rim with the l tire is removed from the wheel hy loosening the holts 2li and displacing the plates 22 and then hoth rings I6 may he removed, especially it the tire he stuck tast to the rim as frequently occurs. Then the tireI is very readilyloosened lrom the rim in the manner already de.-c,rila-al.` vln the ease of puncture or other disahility ot' thel tire, the rim is quickly removed to he replaced h v another rim .unl inflated tire thereon after the, manneiI ol' using demountahle rims. Should any looseness hetween the rim and fclly oecur this is easily taken up by tightening;r the holts '2li and such wear as is incident to the application and removal of the rim is readi 1912, SerialNo. 699,965.,

ily compensated for by the bolts 26 and plates 22 which at the ends 24 may have an appropriate amount of movement due to the pivot connection formed b y the rib 2l and groove The globular portion 30 of the bolt QG and the correspondingly countersunk passage for the bolt form a connection of the ball and socket type eliminating all uneven strains from the plate and from the bolt, and thus relieving both from forces tending to injure or break them.

The rings 16 are readily adapted for use with either the cleneher or the straight side tire casing and either or both of these rings may be removed in accordance with circumstances.

No claim is made in this application for the locking device for holding the demountable rim on the wheel rim, as the claims for this feature `will be presented in a separate application. 1

The broad idea of a locking member mounted for rotary movement on the rim and having an engaging portion or head located at the meeting ends of the split tire-retaining rino' and arranged to be carried -into and out of engagement with the said meeting ends by the rotary` movement thereof, and a manipulating arm or lever for turning the locking member into and out of such engagement, is not claimed in this application, but is the subject-matter of an earlier application tiled by me May 27,

The specific feature `di'erentiating the locking device of this application from the aforesaid application resides in the fact that thel locking devices are duplicated, and the manipulating hasps or iims for said locking devices are mounted so as to engage opposite sides of the valve nipple.

l. A. Wheel riml for pneumatic tires having an outer transversely flat cylindrical tire receiving .surface with marginal circumferential grooves therein and circumferential l,beads on the face of the rim opposite to that receiving the tire, said beads being located between the circumferential mid line of the rim and the marginal grooves and of greater radial extent than the marginal grooves.

2. A Wheel rim for pneumatic tires having marginal circmnferential grooves in its tire receiving face and intermediate beads on the face of the rim opposite to that receiving the tire, and the tire receiving face being substantially cylindrical throughout its width.

3. A demountable rim structure for tires comprising a rim having means for supporting it upon and4 spacing it from the peripheral portion of a Wheel, tire retaining split ring means adapted tov the rim, and

locking means for the split ring means provided with manipulating means movable into the space between the rim and peripheral portion ofthe wheel.

4. A demountable rim structure for pneumatic tires comprising a rim having ,wheel engaging parts spacing the rim fromI the peripheral portion of the wheel, split-ring tire-retaining means on the rim, and locking means for the split ring means provided with manipulating and retaining means movable .into thc space between the rim and peripheral portion of tlul wheel and located with reference to the valve nipple of the inner tube of the pneumatic tire to be engaged b v the clamp nut of said nipple.

5. A demouutable rim structure for pneumathI tires comprising a rim having circumferential beads on its inner face for engaging the peripheral portion of the wheel, said beads spacing the rim from the peripheral portion of the wheel` removable split rings carried b v the rim at opposite sides thereof, and locking means fo' and individual to the rings, each locking means having a manipulating member movable into the space between the rim and peripheral portion of the wheel, the locking means ber ing displaced circumferentially to be .moved into engaging relation to opposite sides of the valve nipple of the inner tube lot the tire 9.5 in the path of the clamp nut of said nipple.

(3. A demountable rim structure for pneumatic tires comprising a rim having circumferential. beads on its inner face for engaging the periphe 'al portion of the wheel, said 100 beads spacing the rim from the peripheral portion of the wheel, removable split rings carried by the rim at opposite sides thereof, and locking means for and individual to the rings, each locking means having a manipu- 105 lating member movable into the space between the rim and peripheral portion of the wheel, the locking means being displaced circumferentiallv tobe moved into engaging relation to opposite sides of the valve 11o nipple of the inner tube of the tire in the path of the clamp nut of said nipple, and the spacing beads on the i'nner face of the rim being cut away to receive the manipulating means.

7. A rim for pneumatic tires, provided with removable split rings on opposite sides, and locking means for the rings individual thereto and each comprising a rockable lock member carried vby the rim in position to eIidevice for the contiguous endsof each split ring, and an arm for each locking device In 1zesiimony, that I claim theforegoing pivoted thereto o nd movable about its pivas my own, I have hereto aixed my signaota'l axis toward the rim 1n adjacent relature in the presence of two witnesses.

Y tion to the arm of the locking device of the FRANK P. JOHNSON. L5 other ring, and a holding means common to Witnesses:

both arms for locking them in the last DORA SoHATz,

named position. PAULINE F. FARNSWORTwr4 

